We've heard it all before: testimonial video content is ‘nice-to-have’, but there are budget and time restrictions, and the final result may not be worth the time and effort. Right? Wrong. Testimonial videos should be an essential tool in your customer communication toolkit, especially if you are a B2B business.

Testimonial videos are very cost effective and are far easier to create than you might think. If you’re offering an excellent service or product, then you'll definitely have some enthusiastic customers who are happy to share what a great experience they’ve had.

By capturing their feedback on video, people will see the genuine satisfaction on your client’s faces in video format, rather than just reading written testimonials, which don’t come across in quite the same way.

Just take a look at these (Forbes) stats...

A third of all time spent online is spent watching video content.

59% of all company decision-makers would rather watch a video than read an article or blog post.

65% of business decision-makers visit a company’s website after watching its video content.

70% reported that video performed better than other content in terms of conversions (ReelSEO). Furthermore 82% said they had success overall with B2B video marketing campaigns (Vidyard).

The numbers don’t lie. If your business isn’t using video content to promote itself, you’re way behind the times. And the longer you put creating video content off, the further behind you’ll fall.

The benefits of using testimonial videos for B2B

The audience for B2B video content isn’t like B2C; creating something memorable that resonates is obviously important, but what’s more important is affirming that you can bring value to a customer’s business. Testimonials are the key to B2B businesses cracking video content. They create trust, because prospective clients can see real value in your offering, through a genuine customer’s perspective.

If another business is going to work with you, they need to see what you have done for others, and also feel that they can trust your product or service. And what better way to win them over than with positive feedback from existing business clients? It’s important for prospective clients to see other people’s point of view, rather than just hearing about how great you are directly from you, which somehow isn’t quite as believable.

According to a survey by BrightLocal, 85% of consumers turn to online reviews to determine whether or not a local business is reputable. That’s exactly what a testimonial video is, a review of your product or service, in visual form, which makes it appear more believable and trustworthy.

How to use testimonial videos

B2B business can use testimonial videos to show off their product or service, as well as create engaging web content. Not only will users absorb and retain more of the information than if you’d offered it in body content, making them more likely to convert, but video views on your site send positive ranking signals to search engines, as users are recorded as interacting with your site, rather than passively scrolling.

As well as using testimonial videos on your website, and sending them to prospective clients, you can use them to generate brand awareness. Don’t just use your testimonial videos on your website, promote them across several popular video platforms such as Vimeo and YouTube. Testimonials can be used for social media and advertising campaigns, sent out in information packs, and placed at key places in the user purchase journey on your site.

As we mentioned, testimonial videos are far simpler to create than you might think. You don’t need to interview your clients for hours on end, you only need to ask them a few simple questions, such as:

Testimonial videos also don’t have to be done in the traditional sense. If you’re up for getting creative, you can approach things slightly differently. For example, testimonial videos can be used to show off customer reviews and demonstrate how your product or service works at the same time, so you get double the benefit.

Keep in mind that customers don’t have to be interviewed via a green screen, you can film them in all sorts of interesting locations. Testimonial videos can be used as a way to show off your business premises and facilities, we can interview people in eye catching locations that way your video more visually appealing.

We are extremely flexible in our approach to online videos and we love to get stuck in and produce creative testimonial videos as well as straightforward testimonial videos that deliver every time. Get in touch today to discuss how we can help you to produce stand out b2b testimonial video content.

Bakehouse is pleased to bring you Scoff, our regular video and photography content service to feed your social media animal.

We all know that Social Media is a hungry beast. The minute breakfast is served he’s asking for lunch. To stay fit and healthy Social needs feeding, we’re here to help you with portion control.

Scoff is a social media ready-meal. Perfectly formed pieces of microcontent - pictures and videos to you and me - to feed your Social. A well fed social media will play nicely with passers by, encouraging them to say hello more often and maybe even pop around for a coffee.

… the options are endless - it’s all about keeping your audience interested, engaged and sharing.

A bit more about microcontent

Microcontent is an internet marketing term given to small, easily digestible chunks of information, ideally suited to sharing on social media. We make visual content, images and videos, to support your wider marketing efforts. There are 100’s of studies and statistics to support the view that people prefer visual information. They consume more of it, remember it for longer and take action more often because of it.

With the best will in the world, many organisations struggle to maintain a ready supply of content for their social media. We can help you by creating and managing a structured approach to creating content. We look after the frequency and content ideas (or help you to develop your own content ideas), leaving you to manage posting to social media and engaging with your followers.

Scoff for agencies

We all know that catering for bigger parties can be tricky, especially if it’s for a bunch of rowdy Socials. Scoff can be white labelled by your agency allowing you to concentrate on front of house (that’s right, we’re going to wring this food metaphor out to the very end).

We’ll take away the pain of creating briefs for social content by simply getting on with it. We’re experienced video experts and marketers - we know what works and how to develop content in line with brand values and required outcomes. We concentrate solely on making visual content to support your existing social media contracts.

Too many small business owners see video marketing as something that isn’t within their grasp.

It’s not just the big boys that are making an impact with online video. You don’t have to have a multi-million pound budget to strike a chord with your audience. Sure, there’s the John Lewis and Coca Cola ads of the world, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

There’s a growing collection of small businesses that have seized their right to capitalise on video marketing. They’ve entered the video marketing arena and won, and sometimes with the most simple yet genius concepts and smallest of budgets.

The truth is, your business is unlikely to get the traction it desires by only posting corporate content. Video is a much more engaging way to deliver your message and speak to your audience in a way they like to be communicated with. According to Dr. Liraz Margalit, Ph.D.

“It’s much easier for us to become emotionally attached to something we watch in a video than something we read in an article.”

A new report from Magisto states that 85 percent of small businesses are currently using video or intend to use video in the near future, and two-thirds of small businesses create marketing videos at least four times a year.

The platforms are there for the taking

The plethora of video marketing platforms we have at our fingertips are available to all. Small businesses can put videos out on channels like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat just like multinational brands can. They may not have the audience initially, but if your video hits the mark, it will soon gain traction. With these exciting platforms waiting to be utilised, why wouldn’t you test out the power of video marketing?

Facebook video seems to have made an impact on audiences. There are now more than 50 million small businesses on the social network, and over 8 million video views on the platform a day. Facebook video appears to be working particularly well for small businesses.

Examples of small business video successes

You probably need to see it in order to believe it right? A growing collection of small businesses are cracking the video marketing code and making waves with viral videos. Here are a few examples:

August Oak Woodwork - Recipe videos like this wonderfully simple idea “cooking” a box video, which has over 19,651,779 views, 103,913 likes and over 250,000 shares.

Bullfrog Spas - small budget YouTube series, “The Principal”. They were a finalist for Best Content Marketing Video Series at the 2015 Content Marketing Awards.

First Kiss - a video created on a £1100 budget, which took the internet by storm and has had 120,586,162 views.

Creativity wins

All it takes is a little creativity, and carefully considering how to target your audience. Some of the very best videos out there are based on surprisingly straightforward concepts, or they're simply things that haven’t been done before. If you take the normal formula or concept, and give it a new spin, like the cooking in a box video, you can take people by surprise and make a real impact.

This is how small businesses can win with video, through creativity, and working with a video company who possess the talent and ingenuity to create videos that inspire, evoke emotion, wow and sometimes, shock.

The growth of online video

Cisco predicts that 82% of all internet traffic will be video-related by 2020. So, in a few short years, those small businesses that don’t embrace video in some way will struggle to have a voice. Soon, video won’t be a choice for small businesses, it will be a necessity.

You’ve almost certainly come across the idea that your business should be using videos to promote itself.

And maybe you’ve considered the possibility of saving yourself some time in presenting training sessions through recording the seminar and creating a video for the future.

But really, what’s all the fuss about video in comparison with written copy?

After all, the internet is based on text content.

Isn’t it?

While it would certainly be true to say that there are some people who prefer to read words online than watch video; it is also true that there are still people who print out their emails before reading them.

The key point, of course, is that the majority or people prefer to spend their time online watching videos, not reading words.

People like video.

Which is why your business should take advantage of this fact and tap into what your audience already prefer, rather than trying to force them to do something they’re not quite so keen on.

Here’s our list of the 10 most important ways your business can use video.

1) Video for Sales & Marketing

In the same manner as your website being a “shop window” to the world (to use a somewhat retro phrase), video can act like a 24/7 salesperson, continually pushing out your message.

So your potential clients can have the impression of human contact with you, even outside of your working hours.

Video provides that personal touch that you simply can’t convey adequately with the written word alone.

‘People buy from people’ is an oft-quoted truism about sales and marketing – so presenting a human face, in the form of a video, is far more likely to get your potential customers engaged with your content, compared to a page of words.

And we’re no doubt all familiar with the idea that videos of phones in blenders and grumpy cats can ‘go viral’ – leading to a huge influx of traffic to your site.

But don’t just take our word for it – there are plenty of statistics to back up the fact that video is an essential component of a successful business marketing strategy.

2) Video for SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of ensuring your site appears ranked well in relevant searches that people perform on Google.

YouTube – a site based purely on video content - is the world’s second largest search engine by volume of searches. So clearly you can tap into a large market if you can feature your videos on YouTube.

Another obvious thing to point out here, as well, is that Google owns YouTube. Which is one of the reasons you see so many YouTube clips appear in the Google search results.

But, more importantly, it shows you how important Google considers video content to be.

Outside of this Google connection, it’s not always explained very clearly as to why video content works well for search rankings. 2 well-known factors for successful SEO provide the key here:

Inbound links – people are more likely to link to video content, as they’ve found it more engaging themselves and are more likely to want to share it with others.

Time spent on the page – people engage with the video more, so spend more time on the page, which is often considered to be a positive factor for SEO (see this post about “dwell time” for more info).

The bottom line is - if your business is keen to generate traffic through SEO, you need to be looking at video to increase your chances of getting good rankings.

3) Video for Email Marketing

Statistics suggest that an incredible 200% - 300% increase in open rates can be achieved simply by including video in your emails.

Not only that, after watching a video, 64% of customers are more likely to buy a product.

So it’s clear that the use of video in your email communications can significantly increase the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts, with not only higher open rates and click throughs to your site, but also an increase in conversions over non-video content.

4) Video for Internal Training

Practical demonstrations of something in use are much better than a written document for imparting info, so using video for your Onboarding seminar and Health and Safety training should help the message sink in much more than a simple document would

And another great thing about using video in this way is it saves you time, as you can simply record the training once and not have to give up your own / a trainer’s work time in the future to impart the same message. Plus the video is available to be viewed at all times of day and in any location, so you don’t have to block out time or a meeting room.

Some methods you may not have originally thought of for creating your training videos include:

Role play training – generally considered to be particularly effective for sales and customer service training.

Webinars are another marketing / training tool you should consider developing – especially those including questions and answers that you may not think of otherwise.

5) Video Demonstrations & Explainer Videos

There are a large number of popular fitness and yoga teachers (or similar) who utilise the medium of video - because they know it’s the easiest way to get someone engaged and following along with their movements exactly, rather than trying to follow diagrams in a book.

Product demonstrations, then, are certainly something you may be able to use for your own business, enabling your customers to get the most out of their purchases.

Explainer Videos – of the whiteboard type that have become increasingly popular in recent times - are well-known as a type of marketing tool to show off your knowledge and expertise.

But Explainer Videos can also help illuminate something that may not be easy to explain in words and can be used as a supplement for infographics or descriptions of processes, providing more engagement with the subject matter and ultimately more knowledge being taken in.

6) Video Records of Events / Meetings

Conference and event videos can be an extremely effective means of not only increasing the potential revenue from the event (selling the video copies to people who were unable to attend), they can also help act as a reminder of what took place, helping the information to sink in more than simply taking notes.

In a similar vein, recording office meetings can provide a very useful record of what has been said by whom – eliminating the type of mistakes that are often made when notetaking.

7) Video Testimonials & Reviews

Video testimonials are a great means of including the human touch when you’re looking to build credibility. Being able to show a real person on screen – rather than just someone’s name attached to a quote – really helps with identification and authenticity. (This is particularly true if you can film the testimonial at the other person’s place of work, so it’s obvious they are who they say they are).

Video reviews are another credibility aid. These are usually carried out by other people talking about your products or service, in the manner of the testimonials outlined above.

But there’s no reason you can’t also develop some video reviews of your own – for example, of the necessary software or components you utilise in the carrying out of your own business.

8) Video Blogging

The rise of the Vlogger – YouTube stars such as PewDiePie and the like - seems to have come from nowhere. But the reason they are so popular is the same reason we recommend businesses use video – people like watching video!

So if a YouTube star can make a very nice living simply from offering a daily slice of their own life online, surely as a business you can imagine a situation where you can successfully promote your offering in a similar manner?

We don’t suggest you go the full Vlog route and upload daily posts of you sat in your office reading spreadsheets.

But a weekly / monthly glimpse into the life within the walls of your business could well be a valuable way for you to build up that all important rapport with your clients and prospects.

9) Video on Social Media

Facebook have been changing their focus to have much more emphasis on video. Video advertising on the Facebook platform is now much more common, with a 360% increase in the amount of videos shown on Facebook (as per the stats in this article).

Several years ago, podcasts were assumed to be the next big thing – when data was costly and download speeds were slow.

However, it’s estimated 85% of Facebook videos are viewed with the sound off. This means people are keen to watch videos, but perhaps are doing so at work or in another environment where they don’t want to disturb others or let them know they’re watching it - yet more proof of the popularity of video content online.

Interestingly, as well, it shows how the words are perhaps becoming less important. If people are not listening to the sound, they won’t know what’s being said, so the actual video content itself is the key factor that draws you in.

Something you should probably consider when making your own video content.

10) Video Ideas You (or we!) May not Have Thought of

Interdepartmental introductions – where a firm’s individual departments uses video content to show the other departments what they do as a means of introducing them to the rest of the company.

A great use for video is in your company website’s About Us page – even maybe incorporating multiple people from the firm within the same video / multiple videos. Video used in this manner could be much more interesting than the standard text-based company intro.

Always On

Smartphones are now so commonplace as to have replaced the words “mobile” or “phone” in people’s consciousness. And obviously, one of the great capabilities of the smartphone is the ability to view video.

Many people are now connecting to wifi hotspots on a continuous basis and taking advantage of internet-based applications, such as whatsapp, to make phone calls – with the previous issues relating to data download costs, slowly disappearing.

You’re already trying to communicate with people – potential clients, existing customers, staff, suppliers – so why not use video to do it? As we’ve seen from the information above, people will be more engaged with it than they might be for simple text-based articles.

In Conclusion

So, to summarise, your business can attract and keep people’s attention in a much more engaging and satisfactory manner through using video than just using words.

And if we were to indicate why it is that every business should be using the power of visual content for their own purposes, in just 3 words - those words would be:

...but unless you have bottomless pockets, brand awareness advertising may not be the best fit for your organisation. This post will show you six approaches to creating video for your business and offering value to your audience.

Online video platforms allow for extremely accurate audience targeting, but what kind of video should you create? Of all of the different types of online video, it is the educational, informative or entertaining ones which succeed most often. They foster goodwill, get shared more and keep people coming back for more.

People love good video, it is easy to consume, it doesn't take much time and it can convey multiple messages quickly (not just what you do, but how you do it, how you present your brand, tone of voice, personal touch etc). By moving the focus away from you and what you do, to your customer and how you can help to solve their problems, you will see a better return on your video investment.

Here are six ideas for providing value through video

1. Customer testimonials. Your audience is looking to make a decision, they've found your organisation and you look like a good fit, but they need proof. Social proof (reviews, testimonials etc.) are a powerful weapon, especially when they're presented as a story.. what challenges did you solve for Acme Widgets & Co., how did Acme enjoy working with you, what have you enabled them to do and how do they feel about that.

2. Product demonstrations. If you sell a product then video is the perfect way to show people people how it works. If it's a technical product, video will simplify your explanation; if it's a time saver you can show exactly how much time you can save. Regardless of the product, people prefer to see it in action first - video is a portable storefront and sales demonstrator and a good video will help your audience to make their decision with more confidence.

3. Expertise and thought leadership. Thought leadership is a bit of a buzzword right now, but it's a sound principle. If you provide a service, or if your expertise is your product then share some wisdom. Accountants can share tax tips, architects can share planning advice, IT security experts can help people to make their laptop safe - whatever you do can be shared, and promoted by video. 'Expert videos' are great for your social media and for email campaigns. Once you correctly target this type of video it acts as an always on, 24/7 sales channel for you.

4. Training. The natural evolution of your pre-sales demonstration. By creating training videos you can alleviate demand on post-sales support teams, allowing them to focus on more complex support issues. Perhaps of equal importance, you can demonstrate ahead of a sale that you have comprehensive support for your in-life clients. Video can show how to use software, change a user serviceable part or access useful but often overlooked aspects of a telephone system. Whatever your industry you can use video to act as a training aid pre- and post-sales.

5. Q&A's or Frequently Asked Questions. If your organisation supports customers post-sale, or manages in-life customer relationships, there are bound to be a tonne of regular, repeat questions. Video can help you to create standardised answers to these enquiries and assist you in scaling your support. Similarly, if you regularly employ people video can be a great way of answering new starters questions, or inducting people on to site.

6. News or Influencer interviews. If your industry is fast moving, with regular changes or product evolution then presenting news updates by video is a great way to raise your profile and take new product ideas directly to your client base. Similarly, you can engage with other industry experts in complementary fields and create content in partnership, harnessing each others network for exposure. It's certainly not for everyone, and this type of video content requires effort, but it is how a significant majority of people set to enter the workplace over the next 5 years are used to receiving information. If you believe that it's worth shaping your marketing to appeal to the Youtube generation, then this type of video is the way to do it.

Marketing Land have a good point.

People love to find out what other people think of doing business with potential suppliers. Businesses have known this for years and that's why customer testimonials are a powerful and valuable commodity. Businesses create case-studies, or embed client quotes on their web pages and marketing collateral, and they do it because social proof sells.

Next time one of your clients has a great story of how your product or service has helped them, consider video as the perfect medium to capture their testimonial. Video connects people to your message more directly and more effectively than any other marketing medium.

Hearing the story of a happy client allows potential customers to link to your offer on a more personal and emotional basis. Buyers hear lists of features and benefits all of the time, video offers an opportunity to show them how you can make a difference.